Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (Mark 10:43–44)
John and Tonya stood before the judge with a mixture of fear and embarrassment. Fear, because they imagined the very worst after their neighbors repeatedly filed charges against them for disturbing the peace. And embarrassment, because the charges arose each time because a minor dispute between the married couple quickly turned into a shouting match that echoed far beyond their home. Judge Michaels looked at John and Tonya and said, “No jail time. No probation. No counseling.” The couple breathed a sigh of relief. Then he added, “I want you to go home and fight—fight for the opportunity to serve one another. Each of you, try to meet the other person’s need before they can even ask.”
Six weeks later, they appeared before Judge Michaels again—this time to renew their vows. John quietly said, “I didn’t realize how far we had drifted from one another. And when I started to treat Tonya right, she returned the favor.” Tonya just smiled and reached for John’s hand, thankful that they had been sentenced to serve.
Look for ways you can serve your family, church, and friends. Fight to be the first in line to sacrifice your time and energy for others. In this way, you’ll achieve the kind of greatness Jesus promised to those who serve like He did.
Become great by serving like Jesus did.
Paul Zinter has served as a pastor and editor. He enjoys writing, bread making, and teaching at his local church.
